Roger Daltrey performs The Who's "Tommy" - Bethel, NY - June 8, 2018 review, video & photos

On June 8, 2018 Roger Daltrey kicked off his "Roger Daltrey performs The Who's Tommy" tour at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in the Bethel, NY.  Here's the full review including my photos and HD videos.

At each stop of the tour, Daltrey, who is touring with most of The Who band, will perform backed by a local orchestra.  At this stop, The Hudson Valley Philharmonic filled the bill and they were conducted by Keith Levenson.

The tickets stated the show would start at 8:00pm and it appeared many in attendance expected there to be an opener as much of the crowd were still filing into the pavilion when the orchestra struck the opening notes of "Overture" at 8:10pm. Daltrey walked out onto the stage just before the first vocals to loud applause.

"Tommy" was performed straight through to the end without Daltrey talking to the crowd at all, not even a "hello" during this 80 minute main set.  He performed it much like an opera or classic piece, simply letting the music and lyrics tell the story instead of breaking it up with stage banter which was saved until its completion.

The album contains so many classics which were great to hear live. Below are the Youtube links to the three songs I shot close up and in HD with my camera.

"Sparks"

"Pinball Wizard"

"Sally Simpson"

"Tommy" ended with everyone in the audience on their feet singing along. All remained on their feet giving a standing ovation afterward as Daltrey spoke for the first time thanking the crowd, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic orchestra and Conductor Keith Levenson who Daltrey stated he would not have been able to do this tour without and that he has worked with since 1994. The orchestra was spot on (with just two days of challenging rehearsals) and it was great to hear this complete bombastic version of this classic album live in it's entirety.

Daltrey's voice was powerful through out (and Pete's brother Simon did a great job covering Pete's vocal sections) although he must have had to deal with some pot smokers up front as later, before the final encore, he would admonish some in the crowd stating how he wished people could stop smoking for the hour and 20 minutes "because trying to hit those notes is a bitch" even without smoke in the air. A few years ago at a Who show in Long Island, Daltrey talked about how he was allergic to marijuana smoke and almost cancelled the show.  The open pavilion and cool breezy night must have made it only an annoyance tonight and did not have a negative effect on his voice.

This was Daltrey's only complaint of the night, it appeared he loved the performance and crowd reaction.

At this point we wondered what would follow.  Would it be "Tommy" and done?  Would it be a nice long set like he did when he toured "Tommy" in 2011 where he followed the "Tommy" performance with an additional 10 song set?  

Well, he didn't leave the stage, instead he strapped on a guitar and the band kicked into "Who Are You" to the crowd's delight.

The excitement continued when "Baba O'Riley" followed, giving everyone in the crowd the iconic moment at every Who (or Who related show) where you get to scream "We're All Wasted!" in unison.

Daltrey then introduced the members of The Who band joining him on this tour starting with "my brother" Simon Townshend, bassist Jon Button and then "fill-in" drummer Scott Devours because Roger joked he could not afford normal Who drummer Zak Starkey since he is "the son of a bloody Beatle!" Keyboardist Loren Gold was introduced next and then high praise for guitarist and musical director Frank Simes.

Roger than announced he had just one more song he would like to play for us.  He said it was a song he wrote with a friend in the early 90's and never thought he'd get to release on an album because it's so different but that it's on his new album ("As Long As I Have You" released exactly a week earlier) which is "possibly the last one I'll ever do, who knows at my age...it's a spiritual song without being a religious song, it's about us and the universe we live in...it's about where we're all headed...it's called Always Heading Home."

It's the closing track on Daltrey's new album and instead of going out tearing the roof off the place with one of many Who classics he could have played, he instead ended the show on a touching quiet note backed only by piano and some strings. 

Of course I would have loved more, but it was a fantastic 95 minutes of music.  It was odd to have a major show end at 9:45pm, but with so much great music delivered, a lot of songs I haven't heard live since 1989 and a few never at all, it was really a perfect early summer night show.

If you go, get there early. Roger, like Spinal Tap, is not only exuberant and full of raw power, but evidently very punctual.

If you want to see/hear more of the show, I was doing Facebook live for a bit of it and those videos are on the MostPeopleAreBlank Facebook group page (the link is in the paragraph below).  Those all in general have great sound, but the video is a bit distant and at times blurs out.  Those videos include the opening of the show (Overture/It's a Boy/1921), "Christmas", "I'm Free", "We're Not Gonna Take It"/Roger speaks after Tommy Set, and Roger's final comments/"Always Heading Home"

If you're not yet part of our Facebook group, please click the Like button below.  You'll always be kept up to date on future posts, have the ability to comment and share all content, and get access to our contests and giveaways! 

Click any photos to enlarge them to full screen.  Also follow on twitter @MostPeopleBlank   Then, of course, as always - Rock on and Enjoy - Paul

The Who - Prudential Center, Newark NJ - March 19, 2016 - Review, Photos and Videos

It really sucks getting stuck in the elevator of the parking deck when you want to go catch The Who.

We got to Newark a few minutes after 7:00pm and decided to save 10 bucks and pay a mere $30 to park in the deck instead of $40 to park in the lot on the street.  We drove up to the fifth level to finally find an empty spot and the couple who got on the elevator about 30 seconds ahead of us saw us coming and were kind enough to hold the door open.

Got in, hit the ground floor button and sort of felt a slight vibration start but it did not seem like we were moving.  The quick laugh at first turned to nervous giggle and then annoyance.  The fucking elevator was stuck.  Tried every button.  Pushed the alarm for a minute straight...nothing.

We're about three minutes in now and the woman of the couple who held the door tells us she is going to have an anxiety attack if she can't get out soon.  Crap.

Opened the little door for the emergency phone which rang and rang and no one answered.  The woman's husband called 911.  I called the number posted in the elevator.  We both were told someone would be sent right over.

About 10 minutes in now and we happen to notice that vibration is us actually moving literally about an inch every 15 seconds or so as through the crack in the door we could see we were between floors and could see it moving very very slowly down.

My buddy's wife jokingly (I think, hell I hope she wasn't doing it seriously, but it was crazy either way) jumped up and down to try and get it moving faster and totally freaked out the other woman...this was a hell of a way to potentially miss seeing The Who for what almost definitely would be the last time.  

About five minutes later the elevator reached the fourth floor and the doors opened.  We got out and walked down the rest of the way.  As we walked outside we heard the sirens, but this is Newark, not sure if it's still the murder capitol of the country, so maybe it was our elevator rescuers or just a typical Saturday night.

Anyway, I hummed "I'm Free" to myself as we walked to the arena, we'd now have to pass on eats at the pizza joint and just get inside.

I had ordered our tix about three days before the show.  Went with the cheap seats ($63 including service charges) and was surprised how good they were.  Third row on the aisle close to the stage at about the 9 o'clock position.  I expected there would be plenty of empty seats up by us based on this, but damn if this show wasn't close to sold out.  The only blocks of empty seats I saw were here and there in the mid-level under us.

I guess like me and my buddy Kev (and his jumping wife) we all knew this was probably going to be it for seeing The Who one last time in the NY/NJ area.

This was one of the rescheduled shows that was to take place around October or November of last year and the one bummer was that Joan Jett was no longer opening.  I've seen Joan plenty of times and she is always great, but instead of going in to see replacement opener Tal Wilkenfeld, we got some beer and sliders and checked out the merchandise.  We went in to our seats about 8:30.   The Who would come on fifteen minutes later.

This tour is titled "The Who hits 50," although because of the delay Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey would joke later it's now "hits 51".

Speaking of this joking, I have to say of the seven or eight times I've previously seen 

The Who, I've never seen them so chatty and jovial on stage.  Before even starting the opening "Who Are You" in what would prove to more or less be a greatest hits set, Pete came out telling the audience how happy he was to be in New Jersey and remembering the shows at the Capitol Theatre (in Passaic) where a young Bruce Springsteen would watch from side stage.  Bruce and other specific references to past Jersey shows would be brought up through out the show.

"Who Are You" is a strong opener, but was followed up by one of my personal favorites "The Seeker" (video below).

Next they talked about their early days and first hits and played of trio of their earliest singles with almost "Storytellers" type intros for The Kids Are Alright, I Can See For Miles and a fantastic My Generation, which I often feel at many shows doesn't come off strong in the live setting but this was a really solid version.

Next was the lead off track from what appears to obviously be Pete's favorite album of theirs, "Quadrophenia" with "The Real Me".  Later in the set Pete would talk about the modern approach to music and the demise of "the album" and how if released today, mostly likely no one would take notice or care about "Quadrophenia" as albums are not given the time to grow on you anymore.

Roger then talked at length about Pete's ability to write pop songs which encapsulated a full story into three minutes and how this was a favorite as they played "Pictures of Lily"

Next up was a pair from one of the Who's most popular albums, "Who's Next," starting with "Behind Blues Eyes" and followed by what Pete said was his favorite track off the album, "Bargain".

This led into a pair of audience sing-a-long songs with "Join Together" and "You Better You Bet" followed by three from "Quadrophenia" starting with "I'm One" and ending with the album closers "The Rock" and "Love Reign O'er Me."

While Townshend is the song writing/guitar playing genius behind The Who, I feel the success of their tours is very much dependent upon Daltrey being able to deliver the powerful vocals.  Overall on this night he did just that, but there are two key screams one always looks for.  The final one in "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the wailing "love" to end Reign.  Daltrey did not attempt this one, but hit the still impressive one previously in the song and so far was the only time in the show there was any noticeable potential issue with being able to handle the vocals.

"Eminence Front" was up next followed by an abbreviated 18 minute version of "Tommy" with "Amazing Journey" into "Sparks" into "Pinball Wizard" into "See Me Feel Me."  This was another fantastic high point of the show for me and video of this mini-set is below.

If there was going to be an encore break it would be now, but why waste time and go into overtime fees (as Roger would mention at the end of the show).

It was time to bring it all home with almost everyone on their feet for "Baba O'Riley" and the set ending "Won't Get Fooled Again."  

Daltrey NAILED the final scream.

A full two hour set and the band spent the last few minutes before eleven basking in the applause and Pete thanking the crowd to the point where he cut himself off as he was getting choked up and tears were in his eyes and running down his face.  Roger stepped up and said the final good nights.

There was no "We'll see you next time" on this night.  It appears Roger and Pete felt the same thing we did, this was probably it for the Who in this area.  It was very bittersweet, but a hell of a way to go out if this is it.

Here's the full set:

Who Are You

The Seeker

The Kids Are Alright

I Can See For Miles

My Generation

The Real Me

Pictures of Lily

Behind Blue Eyes

Bargain

Join Together

You Better You Bet

I'm One

The Rock

Love Reign O'er Me

Eminence Front

Amazing Journey

Sparks

Pinball Wizard

See Me, Feel Me

Baba O'Riley

Won't Get Fooled Again

If you dug this go to the MostPeopleAreBlank Facebook page by following this link and click the "Follow" button to join to be kept up to date on future posts, to comment, share and take part in our giveaways and contests! Click any photos to enlarge them to full screen.  Also follow on twitter @MostPeopleBlank   Then, of course, as always - Rock on and Enjoy - Paul